The Azteca is a purpose-built football stadium, but some of its most special moments have had nothing to do with the game.

In 1993 it was home to the largest crowd in championship boxing history, when 132,274 people watched national hero Julio Cesar Chavez knock out Greg Hauger to retain the WBC super lightweight title.

"It was the most incredible night of my entire career and my life," Cesar Chavez said. "Being there in the middle of the ring is something unbelievable."

The same year, Michael Jackson headlined five nights of his Dangerous World Tour at the Azteca, performing to a total of 550,000 people.

And in 1999 a mass held by Pope John Paul II in the heart of devoutly Catholic Mexico brought a crowd of over 110,000 to the stadium.

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After the fireworks ended at Pope John Paul II's Azteca mass, he was given a rapturous ovation by the congregation which lasted for over 15 minutes as he was driven around the stadium in the Popemobile.

"People who know me will attest I'm a little fond of football," the Pope said at the mass. "It is a privilege to be here, where I watched such beautiful football."

Whether it be sport, music, or religion, the Azteca is built for moments when masses of people come together to feel alive.

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel, asked whether England's defeat by Argentina in 1986 motivates him or his players:

"Everyone remembers the goal. Two iconic goals in the stadium, in a huge disadvantage for the English team. Of course this is painful and it still hurts but we are not here for revenge. It doesn't make sense.

"It's the same stadium, it's not the same opponent - and even then, it doesn't make sense.

"We are here to write our own chapters. The team is ready, we are in good spirits and we are ready to go for tomorrow."

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Daniel Austin
BBC Sport

The Azteca is the only stadium to have hosted matches in three different editions of the World Cup - 1970, 1986 and 2026.

The first two featured some of the most iconic matches and goals in World Cup history.

The 1970 semi-final between Italy and West Germany is regarded by many as the greatest match ever played. It was 1-1 after 90 minutes, before five goals were scored in extra time, with the Italians winning 4-3.

But in the final they were defeated by Pele - winning the World Cup for the third time - and his Brazil team-mates in a side still cited as one of the greatest teams of all time.

Brazil won 4-1, and their final goal - rocketed into the far corner by full-back Carlos Alberto - was a beautiful passing move in which all but three players touched the ball, and is considered one of the best team goals ever scored.

"The atmosphere, the noise at that final was unbelievable," Alberto later said. "Wonderful, indescribable."

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Pele scored four goals and made six assists in the 1970 tournament, and remains the only player to have won the World Cup three times

Sixteen years later Mexico was selected to host the tournament again, and this time it was Argentina and Maradona who shone in the Azteca spotlight.

Aged 25 and having moved to Napoli from Barcelona the year prior, Maradona delivered possibly the most dominant tournament performance in football history, scoring five goals and making five assists, to win his country's second trophy.

Against England in the quarter-final he scored two goals which are among the most famous moments in sporting history, for different reasons.

Firstly, Maradona opened the scoring in the second half with his notorious 'hand of God' goal by punching a miscued back pass with his hand past Peter Shilton and into the net.

Four minutes later, he picked the ball up inside the centre circle in Argentina's half with his back to goal. Within 11 seconds, he had danced past five England players, rounded the goalkeeper, and slipped the ball into the back of the net entirely on his own.

All four sides of the Azteca roared in adulation and astonishment as El Diego ran towards the corner flag in celebration.

In 2016, four years before his death, Maradona called it the most important match of his career.

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Dion Dublin
Former England striker on Football Daily

Do you know what? It's just about doing what needs to be done.

Honestly, sometimes when you have to get a result, then you go for the throat. You have to go high press, you have to go together, there has to be a trigger and you go together.

Then sometimes you just have to feel the game out.

The main thing is, don't get sucked into the atmosphere. The atmosphere and the noise is going to be bizarre in the stadium. All the noise will all be for Mexico, so you cannot be sucked into that.

In terms of a game plan, you just have to try to do what the manager tells you to do to the letter and make it work. Then England will have a chance.

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England

England midfielder Jordan Henderson on how fan expectations have changed across his four World Cups, and how that impacts the team:

"I suppose that's probably the biggest thing that's changed. My first World Cup was 2014 in Brazil. Compared to now, the expectation is a lot different, definitely. 2018 in Russia was a good year for us, to get to the semi-final I don't think many people expected that and I felt that that brought the team and the nation closer together, that period.

"From there, we've built on that, we've went from strength to strength, managed to get into two European finals. We've not managed to get it over the line but you can see the lads and the culture and everything was growing and getting bigger and the connection with the fans has just been getting stronger and stronger.

"I think this World Cup shows the connection with the fans. The singing after the game the other day was such an amazing moment for all of us - even for me, who's played a lot of games. That's a special moment that we'll remember forever. That's what the World Cup is all about - creating special moments. Hopefully we can create another special moment tomorrow."

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England defender Marc Guehi on the challenge of playing in Mexico City at the Azteca.

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel, asked whether England having played home games at Wembley is good preparation for a match at an iconic stadium such as Estadio Azteca:

"I think it is more difficult in some stadiums. I'm totally aware of that from club football. It takes a lot of courage to put out a top performance at the Azteca against Mexico.

"But we have a brave team. We have an experienced team. We have a young team who are ready to take these challenges on the front foot. But there exists on some stages in iconic stadiums in club football or internationally, it is more difficult to put out a top performance. This stadium here and this environment here and to play against the home country is for sure one of them.

"But like I said, I trust the players 100%. I see their quality, they do it on club level, they do it on international level in Champions League. That's what we build on.

"We need to walk the walk tomorrow. When the going gets tough, we will be there. But I am very confident that it will bring out the best version of our team."

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Mexico fan Ricardo Pacheco says England fans should "expect the unexpected" during their visit to Estadio Azteca.

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel, asked whether he has seen enough from his players to show they can handle a potentially hostile environment at Azteca:

"It will be emotional, full of support for the home nation. I didn't expect any hostility so far. Everyone was very respectful. Everyone was cheering for our players in front of the hotel. I don't expect that tomorrow but I don't expect per se a hostile environment.

"At a stadium like this - like not a lot of stadiums - can create an advantage to the home team, that a stadium can create momentum and belief in the home team. This is something we come up against and we expect it.

"But we have very experienced players in the toughest leagues in the biggest clubs in the world. We all know these games from Champions League matches, from intense matches in our leagues, where you play up against the energy of the stadium. We are prepared for that. We are prepared for the strong start of the Mexican team. I guess they will try to give us a taste of intensity, of the heat, but we will have answers to that.

"We need to find answers, but right now it is a key element of our team that we can find answers to any questions. And I'm full of trust that we will do the same tomorrow."

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England

England midfielder Jordan Henderson on the scale of the occasion:

"I don't think this game compares with any game I've been involved with to be honest.

"Yes, I've played in high level big games in Champions League but in a World Cup in Mexico against Mexico? I don't think anything compares with that. That's why it's such a big game and such a special game to be involved in.

"I think everybody's just excited and really looking forward to taking on the challenge."

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel, asked about his first impression of Mexico City, host city for the Three Lions' round of 16 game against Mexico:

"It's even nicer than I expected. It just catches you straight away, once we landed here and saw the excitement and saw the emotions, the committment of all people to the world cup.

"I felt straight away that this will be a proper World Cup match tomorrow. We knew it before, we are in an iconic place, an iconic stadium, a massive knockout game against Mexico at Azteca. It's an iconic match on the big stage and we feel it.

"People were very friendly, very respectful. Very emotional. Of course they will support their home team tomorrow, that's absolutely normal.

"We had an amazing training facility today, beautiful environment, very calm on highest level. So players are kind of adapted (you know about the situation, we spoke about it) - but, yeah. We will take care of what needs taking care of and we need a strong performance and I think we will have one."

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Before we get into how Tuchel and Henderson are feeling about the atmosphere ahead of tonight’s match, don’t forget to use the poll and tell us whether you’re staying up or catching up for England v Mexico.

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Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was interviewed by BBC Radio 5 Live commentator John Murray in the Azteca Stadium on Saturday, 24 hours before the pair are due to commentate on live coverage of Mexico v England.

They discussed the impact - or lack of it - they felt of being at high altitude, with the ground 2,240m above sea level.

"You [John Murray] were here for the opening game and you didn't really feel too much, did you? And we have been here two days now," said Robinson on BBC One.

"I mean, I am on the sixth floor of the hotel, you're on the fifth, and I think that's the most altitude that I have felt since I have been here.

"I think the word is the longer you stay here the more you feel it, so England, I think, have done right by arriving late. They will just play the game and then get out.

"So the way I am seeing it now, as an ex-player, looking at the atmosphere and the way that I feel, I don't think there is going to be an issue, I really don't."

Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent on Football Daily

I don't think it makes sense for England to go chasing the game from the off.

They need to choose their moments and preserve as much energy as they can. To go hell for leather from the first whistle, that's just not sustainable.

They are going to have to be clever about it. They are going to have to go about the game in a different way than we would recognise a Thomas Tuchel side would normally do, in terms of being on the front foot, pressing and being proactive.

In the conditions they are going to be playing in - 2,240m above sea level - needs must. They are going to have to adjust their style, according to those energy-sapping conditions.

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Using the conditions to your advantage...well played Qasim!

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on Football Daily

On his experience of playing football at high altitude:

It's just choosing when to use your energy. It's being smart about it. The lactic acid in your legs, your arms and your body just seem make it get tighter. So drink lots of water, have lots of the gels and all that kind of stuff. But if you are sprinting about all over the place it will hit you.

The England camp may be flat-batting suggestions that their players have been put at a disadvantage by playing this game at altitude, but the reality exists that they could well be affected by it.

How the England players deal with the problem could be key...

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England manager Thomas Tuchel has had to work quite hard to bat off repeated questions about his players' preparedness to compete at altitude.

One reporter even suggested that Mexico had an "unfair" advantage.

Fortunately, not everyone is taking the circumstances of the Three Lions' round of 16 fixture so seriously.

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is a serious football fan, and he's become a focus at this tournament as England fans have adopted his band's 90s hit Wonderwall as an anthem, singing along with the players after games.

Gallagher took to social media platform X to give his verdict on whether England should be concerned about the "bad attitude" reported in Mexico City.

"It'll be fine," he wrote.

It is true that Mexico's passionate home fans could cause havoc with England's preparations for the big match - think fireworks outside the hotel, flip flops thrown at the team bus - but it's not clear whether Liam knew what he was doing with this little jape.

When a fan pointed out that it was "altitude" and not "attitude" that could impact England, Gallagher replied: "Ah ok got ya...I’ve been sitting here scratching my head."

The singer is well known for his tongue-in-cheek barbs on X so maybe he deserves the benefit of the doubt on this one...

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